


A half orc is never more than half dead

by Verdic



Category: Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game)
Genre: DNDecember
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-02
Updated: 2017-12-02
Packaged: 2019-02-09 11:25:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,378
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12886842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Verdic/pseuds/Verdic
Summary: Backstory to Lynx. An abandoned half orc who becomes a thief, a slave, a mage, and once again a free man. All while constantly surviving when he should be dead.





	A half orc is never more than half dead

**Author's Note:**

> Lynx is a character from an earlier campaign. This is part of his back story. I have always loved half orc wizards. Even when they run out of spells, they are still half orcs and powerful. Lynx will be back.

Lynx watched as the rest of the gang got into position. This was the third time today that a wealthy person had passed their ambush site. The group had never seen such a valuable day. They already had enough to get by for a month, but there was no telling how much longer they could stretch it out. Maybe they could even get a house for them all to sleep in. And with the extra get a craft and open a business.

Lynx knew it wasn’t a likely dream. More likely, their leader would blow the money quickly and they would be back to scrounging for their next meal. It had always been that way and it would always be that way. Ever since Lynx had been abandoned at four years old. The last memory he had was of his Orc mother’s face smiling. It was so short that he may have even dreamed it up. Half Orc’s weren’t common in Beleten, but the street rats had taken him in for his natural size and strength. 

He had been their bruiser ever since he could hold a club. Shaking people down for money, robbing them, providing interference for the pick pockets. He always had the largest take of loot each week, but would always have it taken from him by the gang leader. Lynx had never been fulfilled by robbing people. He had one place of solace, the library. Beleten had a large library that anyone could pay to get into or take classes. 

He had been avoiding the guards one day when he ran into the library. There, he saw stacks upon stacks of scrolls and books. He saw how heavily they were guarded, but he couldn’t read anything. None of the scrolls or books made any sense to him and were valueless. But so many wealthy people found them valuable, which gave them value in the thief’s eyes. He started paying some of his extra money for reading lessons. He spent the next few months learning to read common.

A sharp blow brought him back to the present. “Get your head together Muck.” The leader of the gang spat out. “Maybe you’ll earn your share this week.” He sneered. Lynx looked up at the young man. At 7 years old, Lynx was taller than most of the gang, but the leader was a decade older than Lynx and ruthless. Lynx pulled out a silver knife, nearly 12 inches long, and waited for the man to get into position. After a few minutes of waiting, the trap was sprung.

Lynx didn’t remember much after that. When they jumped out, the man did nothing. They closed around him and he started chanting. Lynx started to move backwards when a fireball exploded. When he next stood up, he saw all of his gang mates dead on the ground. His skin was burnt and his body ached, but he was still able to stand. 

“You, you’re no ordinary half-orc. I have seen you at the library often. Can you read?” The man asked, nonplussed by his murder of nearly a dozen street urchins.

“Yes.” Lynx said, trying to get into a better position to throw his knife. 

“You may be useful.” The man chanted a quick word and Lynx felt control of his body slip away.

This was the tenth time he had made this cake. He wasn’t sure how long he had been in this place, as his perception of time was ruined. But it was so long between each cake that he figured they must mark a year. That would mean he had no had control of his body for the past ten years. He remembered bits and pieces, enough to know that he was under a domination spell. 

He spilled some of the milk, and with a wave of his hand, it was cleaned up. Despite being strong and able to work for hours at the same pace, his master had taught him some spells that would make him a better servant. 

Today, however, seemed different. 

It all started when the front door at the base of the tower crashed open. While his master had not reacted, Lynx knew this was not normal. After a few minutes, his master came out.

“Arm yourself and repel these invaders. Take out any mages first.” Lynx, unable to not comply, drew his war knife and cast protective spells over himself. He snuck down the stairs until he saw the adventurers. There were four of them. One was an enormous, pale man in full plate with a greatsword, one was a human female with dark skin, clad in leather and short blades. The third figure was a male halfling in green robes, holding a mace and shield. The last was also in robes, but these were similar to his masters. She had a rapier in one hand glowing lights flying around the other. Lynx waited for the defenders of the place to activate.

His patience was rewarded when the suits of armor and imprisoned spirits fell upon the party. Using his large frame of well over six feet, he slammed the elf wizard from her feet and through a doorway. He followed through the door and sealed it behind him. The elf fell into a heap on the floor and hadn’t moved since he had hit her. He brought his knife down to start hacking her when his shield was raised. She had sent five bolts of energy from her prone position and only his Shield spell saved him. 

Taking a step back, he measured up his opponent. The elf had stood up and her rapier was held in front of her. She stood a foot shorter than him, almost losing all of the advantage for having a longer weapon. Neither of them were wearing any armor. The left side of her face was cut up from the charge, but her eyes were determined and confident. She thrust in with her rapier, and Lynx easily batted it aside. She did this a few more times before Lynx realized she was only testing his defenses. 

With grace that was singularly elvish, she let out a string of attacks and spells that engulfed Lynx. It took all of his ability to dodge the attacks, many of which left small cuts and burns across his clothes and body. Lynx knew that he had only one chance, he had to force and opening. The next time she thrust, he did not dodge. He ran forwards through the thrust. The blade pierced his side and he grabbed her sword hand so she couldn’t let go. Pulling himself forward, he brought his knife up, confident that she would be too surprised to react. 

Her fist came up and knocked him out with a single well placed blow to the jaw. 

Shaking his head, he realized he was looking along the blade of her rapier up to her face. She had a slightly annoyed look on her face, quickly followed by confusion. For Lynx’s part, he only felt a massive headache. 

“You won’t seem to die. Are you going to keep fighting?” She asked, not lowering the sword.

“Who are you?” Lynx moaned, “Where am I?” The elf’s eyes went wide.

“Stay down and I will make sure you live through this.” Lynx merely nodded and laid his head down on the floor, trying to ease the pain. He wasn’t sure how much time passed before he fell asleep.

He was awoken by a gentle shake. It was the elf. She had a set of fingerless gloves in her hands. They were as black as night with red pentagrams on the back. She placed them on his chest. “These are relics of the goddess Tyche, the goddess of luck. It seems like your knack for living may be good luck.” She smiled and walked out.

“Are they all dead?” He heard a voice ask.

“Yes.” The elf said. He saw her turn and wink after all the others had passed. Lynx waited for a few minutes before struggling to his feet. He looked down at the web of scars on his chest and limbs and thought if his ability to constantly survive was good luck or bad luck.


End file.
